Saturday, January 28, 2012

The Journey Continues

Day Two of my blog and I'm having so much fun. I wish I had done this years
ago. I wish I could go back and read what I was thinking, marvel at how far
I've come. Instead, I'm going to jump into my present. I'll devote some future posts about the road I've already travelled. But, for now, I'll channel my
inner Garth and 'Live in the now.' (Cue Bohemian Rhapsody')

My latest, immediate challenge is Candida. Fair warning: this is going to get
just a bit personal. Last fall, I had a urinary tract infection. Extremely odd,
but no big deal. I got through it with some over-the-counter natural
supplements by AZCO. A month later, I developed a nasty sinus infection. I
tried for several days to fight it off, but eventually had to give in and take
antibiotics. It was a slow recovery and was quickly followed by my first and,
God willing, last yeast infection.

I didn't even try the over-the-counter remedies. I went straight to my
doctor. She asked if my knees were stiff and looked
at my tongue. What? She then told me my problem went beyond my nether region. I had a
chronic Candida infection. My years of antibiotics and sugary foods had finally
caught up with me. The yeast was in my joints, on my tongue and probably in my
sinuses causing my sinusitis. She prescribed Nystatin and the Anti-Candida Diet
(ACD) and sent me on my not-so-merry way.

I really thought ACD wouldn't be too bad. Six months of no sugars, fermented
food products or dairy. I've been gluten free for over four years and it's a
lifelong commitment. Six months of abstaining from a few foods? Piece of almond
flour cake.

But I was wrong. Way wrong. In the first six months of going gluten free, I
think I cried once, maybe twice out of frustration. On the ACD, I cried twice
in three weeks. It is the toughest eating regimen I have faced. Vinegar,
sweeteners and dairy are in everything. No ketchup or mayo. No alcohol. No
eggs. No cheese. No nothing. I made a valiant effort at first, having tuna with
fresh guacamole for lunch and no grain breakfast porridge for breakfast. After
day seven, I was at my wits end. At first I couldn’t pinpoint what was so
frustrating about it. I’ve never liked eating the same foods every day, but I’m
no foodie and a little monotony shouldn’t be that big a deal. Plus, I’m
accustomed to making an extra effort to ensure I can eat gluten free. Eating
ACD shouldn’t be all that different.

After week three, I started slipping. I still avoided all sweeteners except
stevia and yacon syrup. I continued to shun obviously bad things like salad dressings.
But, I gave in to the eggs and cheese…a lot. Omelettes with wilted spinach and Swiss
for breakfast; cheese on my bunless burger for lunch; cheese on my salad for
dinner. I knew I couldn’t kill all the yeast continuing on that course.

At about that time, a friend of a friend contacted me about Arbonne. I used
Arbonne cosmetics in college and really liked them. She thought I’d be
interested in trying them again due to their commitment to gluten free products.
I agreed to meet. After all, it’s been years since I’ve had a lipstick I
trusted.

Instead of a focus on cosmetics, though, we talked about Arbonne's Essentials line.
These products include protein shakes, natural energy drinks, detox teas,
supplements, fit chews and more. Arbonne combined many of the products into one
set called the 30-Day Feeling Fit Kit. The purpose of the kit is to detox the body and provide
a fresh start for committing to a healthier lifestyle. All the products are
free of soy, gluten, dairy, nuts and processed sweeteners. In fact, all are
sweetened with stevia and a bit of natural cane syrup. The program consists of
replacing two meals a day with protein shakes and eating a healthy, allergen
free dinner.

My first thought was, ‘Great. Another Slim Fast program with a natural ingredient
twist.’ But, I’ve read enough to know how different extracts and herbs are used.
Arbonne is using legit ingredients in these products. In fact, the more I read,
the more excited I became that this could be the way I get through the ACD.

I’ll have to make some adjustments. I can’t have cocoa so the chocolate
shakes are out. The fit chews have a bit too much cane syrup for ACD. The fizz
tablet energy drinks use only stevia as a sweetener, so those are good to go.
All I’d have to do is focus on lunch or dinner.

So, this is where you find me and why I finally kicked off a blog. After seven
years on my journey to better health, I’m going to try a product instead of
along with real food to break through. I wanted to record this experience
because it’s questionable. The cure for much of what ails us can be found in good,
real food. I still believe that, but I also have to recognize that close to
forty years of eating processed foods might require a formulated product. A
formulated, vegan product that is free of allergens and synthetic chemicals may
be my best hope.

Tomorrow is the big day when I start. I hope you’ll follow along with me. I’ll
share my dinner plans and my progress. I’ll also go back and share some of how
I got here.

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About Me

My name is Melie (rhymes with Emily) and I'm a working mom with two beautiful girls and wife to a world-traveling husband. Just like everyone else, our lives are hectic and at times, a bit overwhelming. Unlike some families, we also have multiple food sensitivities in the house that force us to focus on our diet. This blog is about how we find the time, the foods and the methods to eat and stay healthy.